Foot support



April 13, 1948. M. J'OHNSON FOOT SUPPORT Filed" Feb. 13, 1946' .i/Zasgs Jolms k- Patented Apr. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOT SUPPORT Moses Johnson, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application February 13, 1946, Serial No. 647,339

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to improvements in foot supports of the sandal type, the principal object in view being to provide a device of this character for correcting arch conditions by properly supporting both the longitudinal and metatarsal arches with comfort to the wearer and which will yield in proper degree in walking and react into arch-supporting contour when the full weight is taken off the foot.

Qther and subordinate objects are to provide a device of this character and for the purpose above set forth which is strong, durable, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and may be easily made to correct the well-known three types of arches, to-wit: low, medium and high.

To the accomplishment of the above, and other objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the drawing, set forth in detail in the succeeding description, and defined in the claim appended hereto.

In said drawing- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the preferred form of my invention,

Figure 2 is a view in bottom plan,

Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a View in bottom plan of the pair of arch-supporting plates.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the basic part of my improved support is a pair of thin, flat, upper and lower arch-supporting plates l, 2 of spring steel of high carbon content corresponding substantially in edge contour to that of the sole of the foot and of the proper length to underlie the metatarsal arch and extend to within a half-inch of the rear of the heel. The lower plate 2, at the arch-supporting portion 5, is cut out along the edge, as at 3, so as to weaken the support at that side and thereby provide for said support shaping t0 the foot as will be clear. The zone of the top plate I underlying the metatarsal arch is padded, or built up, with resilient material, such as rubber, as illustrated at 4 in Figure 3, 50 as to shape the metatarsal or transverse arch of the foot. Both plates I and 2 are upwardly curved centrally, as at 5, to shape the longitudinal arch, the heel portions of said plates being substantially straight and fiat.

The described plates I, 2 are covered with soft strong leather, a top and a bottom layer 6, and 1, respectively, sewed together, as at 8, around the edges thereof. In the approximate center thereof, the plates l, 2, and layers 6, I are secured together by a single rivet I. A pair of curved front and rear end, bottom guard plates 9, ll] of suitable metal are secured against the bottom layer 7 by rivets II which may extend through the bottom layer I and the plates l and 2. The

I 5 secured at one end to the top and bottomlayers 0 and I, in between the same, at one side of the support by the stitching 8 and with the terminals straddling the adjacent edges of the plates I, 2. A strip of non-porous webbing I6 is stitched at one end, as at H, between the other ends: of said layers I4, l5 and has its opposite end secured to the layers 6, I between the same by the stitching 8. The strap I3 is attached to the support to extend over the foot above the instep part of the same. As will be understood, the described support may be worn in a shoe or without the latter and will be made in various sizes.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claim.

What I claim is:

A foot appliance comprising a pair of superposed plates of spring steel and equal in length upwardly bowed centrally to support the longitudinal arch and padded with resilient material to provide a metatarsal arch support, and a covering of leather for said plates and resilient material, one of said plates solely having a cutout edge on one side of the longitudinal arch supporting part thereof for weakening the same to facilitate shaping of the appliance to the arch of the foot under weight thereof, and bottom guard plates at the ends of the lower plate curving around the ends of the upper plate.

MOSES JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 804,242 Lubin Nov. 14, 1905 1,053,549 Tracy Feb. 18, 1913 1,545,512 Pease July 14, 1925 1,594,681 Mayhall Aug.. 3, 1926 1,709,253 Ernst Apr. 16, 1929 2,088,707 King 7 Aug. 3, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 142,721 Austria Sept. 10, 1935 447,793 Great Britain Jan. 6, 1938 

